Wednesday’s campaign round-up

WEDNESDAY’S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP…. Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers.

* The latest CNN poll shows Democrats leading Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 50% to 46%. The latest Gallup poll shows Republicans leading Democrats on the generic congressional ballot, 48% to 44%. That ought to clear things up.

* Former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) will reportedly not take on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) this year. Gillibrand’s election prospects are now greatly improved — no credible Republican wants to face her — and Pataki appears likely to run for president in 2012.

* Might Rep. Joe Sestak’s (D-Pa.) strategy of a “truncated campaign” against Sen. Arlen Specter in a Democratic primary work? Maybe. Most recent polling shows the incumbent ahead by comfortable margins, but Rasmussen now shows Specter’s lead down to just two points, 44% to 42%.

* Former Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, the leading Republican Senate candidate this year, has proven herself to be surprisingly right-wing, but even she’s not willing to commit to a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

* Just a day after anti-reform activist Rick Scott launched a gubernatorial primary campaign against state Attorney General Bill McCollum in Florida, McCollum is welcoming Scott to the race by going after Scott’s scandalous background.